Sept. 7, 2007

The Nova Notebook, by Villanova director of media relations Mike Sheridan, appears weekly beginning in September through February with monthly updates in the off-season. This week we spend time with redshirt freshman forward Antonio Peña.

OTTAWA - The theme is one that can be difficult for anyone to grasp, especially those blessed with youth and athletic skill. But as Antonio Peña pondered his fate last winter as he watched his teammates roll to an NCAA Tournament bid, he had at least two role models whose example and words encouraged him.

"My mom (Olivia Wright) has taught me a lot," says Peña. "One of the things she said is that you have to be patient. Keep working hard and good things will come."

Those words carried extra resonance in 2006-07. After suffering a knee injury that required arthroscopic knee surgery shortly after the Wildcats traveled to Oklahoma in early December, it was decided that this touted rookie would not waste a year of eligibility and accept a redshirt. He would practice but not appear in games.

If he was inclined to bemoan his fate, however, he had alongside him a mentor who had endured much more. Curtis Sumpter was a Brooklyn high school legend when Peña was in the 8th grade. Peña knew well the travails Sumpter traversed at Villanova - the two surgeries on his ACL, the months of painstaking rehab, the year of watching as his classmates, the men who he had come to Villanova in a quest to restore the school's greatness, helped lead the `Cats to within a game of the Final Four.

"I knew what Curtis had been through and when I got here I saw how hard he worked to get back on the court," Peña states. "I learned from Curt how to overcome things that are working against you and to keep a good attitude about it."

Watching a sport you have excelled at throughout your life is seldom easy. The injury Peña suffered to his knee was not serious - he was back on the court a few weeks after it took place. Yet it was enough to impede his development to the point where it made little sense to use him as a freshman on a squad that already experienced players as his position like Sumpter, Will Sheridan, Shane Clark and Dante Cunningham.

After discussing the situation with his family and Villanova head coach Jay Wright, Peña decided the redshirt season was the right choice.

"It was tough watching my teammates in games," he says, "but I knew if I worked hard in practice and off the court there would be a good outcome."

All indications are that there will be. Peña made his first game appearances here since last November's exhibition win over Holy Family to favorable reviews. His strength and athleticism were apparent as he averaged 6.5 ppg and 3.3 rpg in four games, including one starting assignment. He averaged 20.5 minutes per contest and connected on 13 of 23 field goal attempts (.563).

"It was great to be out there," says Peña. "It had been a long time, though, and I could feel the rust. I have a lot more to work on, especially with my help defense. I want to be a better defender."

While he never had much of a chance to showcase his skills for public consumption last season, Peña was hardly idle. He quickly acclimated himself on campus and his upbeat personality won him friends both inside and outside the locker room. Meanwhile, he and classmate Andrew Ott, who also used the year to redshirt, went through their own taxing game day regimen.

A January visit to Syracuse was typical. The Wildcats were slated to face the Orange at 1:00 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. By 8 a.m., Peña and Ott were working out on the court at the Dome. They returned to the team hotel in the midst of the squad's pre-game meal. Often those types of workouts were supplemented by visits to the hotel workout area for cardiovascular conditioning.

Peña's work ethic did not waver when the season ended either. He spent both semesters of summer school on campus, playing in open gym with his teammates. Then he would usually find time each day to take jumpers on his own or with a teammate. It was not uncommon to see Peña alone in St. Mary's or Jake Nevin Field House early in the morning or late at night, shooting at the basket.

Part of those lessons came courtesy of the class of 2007.

"Watching Mike (Nardi), I just noticed how hard he worked to get better," he says. "He might not have been the best athlete on the floor, but he was always striving to improve his game. From Bump (Will Sheridan) I learned patience and saw how dedicated he was to being a good teammate."

Now Peña is one of those who hopes to help fill the void those seniors, including Sumpter, have left behind. He demonstrated strong hands in Ottawa and clearly has the tools to be a force near the basket. Now it is a matter of gaining experience and becoming the kind of defensive presence that have distinguished Sheridan and Cunningham in their Villanova careers.

The visit here only whetted Peña's appetite.

"I wish we could come back and start the season right now," he states. "I think we all do."

One of the most positive aspects of Villanova's play up north was how quickly there was chemistry among a unit that is still, in many ways, learning about itself. The Wildcats were solid defensively and the newcomers - freshmen Corey Fisher, Malcolm Grant and Corey Stokes - adapted quickly to the first week of action.

"From the first day, those guys were family," Peña states simply. "They are good guys and fit in very well with us. We are a close team."

In a sense, Peña is a novice too. There is a world of difference between watching and playing at the BIG EAST level. Yet he feels his progress in the year away from the limelight has been substantial.

"I've come a long way in the last year," he states, "not only as a player, but as a man. That's something Coach (Jay) Wright talks about a lot. He wants us to develop into men. He teaches us that you have to maintain a positive attitude because things don't always go your way.

"I love being at Villanova. We had a great trip to Ottawa and now we'll rest for a little bit and then get back to getting ready for the season."

He's waited this long. Two more months to the season opener don't sound bad at all.